Trace-detacher.



y(No. 724,787. PATENTED Am. 7, 1903.

J. D. BLAKEMAN, DEGD. M. B. BLAK'BMAN, ADMINISTRATRIX.

TRACE DBTAGHER. APPLICATION FILED DEO. l1I 1902.

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- 4UNITED "TA-*rss i PATIENT Fries.

-MILDRED B. BLAKEMAN, OF SMITHS GROVE, KENTUCKY, ADMINISTRATRIX OFgJOHN D. BLAKEMAN, DECEASED.

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SPECIFICATION 1.`ornnng part of Letters Patent No. 724,787, dated April 7, 1903.

Application rita December 11, 1902 To @ZZ wlw/m it may concern: y

Be it known that I, MILDRED B. BLAKE- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Smiths Grove, in the county of Varren and State of Kentucky, am vthe vadministratrix of the estate of JOHN D. BLAKEMAN, deceased, who during his lifetimeinvented cer-A tain new and useful Improvementsl in Trace- Detachers, of which the following is a speci- 'xo fication.

This invention is an improvement in tracedetachers for use on singletrees, and particularly in that class of trace-detachers represented by the former patent, No. 428,370,

x5 issued May 20, 1890, to John D. Blakeman; and the present invention consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, .Figure 1 is a perspective View of the device as in use. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 is a crosssection on about line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Figs. 4: and 5 are detail elevat-ions of the inner faces z5 of the sections of the device. Fig. 6 is a detail elevation of the inner edge of the guardlever, and Fig. 7 is a detail perspectiveview of the actuating-spring.

In carrying out the invention the whifletree 3o A is provided, preferably made in upper and lower sectlons A and A2, which support the studs C at their outer ends and between which is formed at lA3 a recess or slot in which operates the guard-lever Bv and the main por- ;55 tion of the trace-detacher bar D, as shown. In the inner faces of the sections A' and A2 or in the walls of the slot A2y curved grooves A4 and A5are provided, which form seats, respectively, for the pivot-studsB of the guard-lever B and for the studs F' of the loop-spring E, which actu-ates the guard-lever. For convenience of reference the sections A and-A2 consitute a ferrule at the outer end of the whiftletree, as shown, and the guard-lever B may be adjusted to the position shown in full lines, Fig. 2, to retain the trace F on the stud C, or the said arm may be adjusted to the dotted-line position, Fig. 2, and the full-line position, Fig. 1, to release the trace, as will be understood from dotted lines in Fig. 1. The guard-lever B is provided with a crank-arm Serial No. 134,851'. (No model.)

B2, to which is connected the trace-detacher bar D, the latter being provided at its outer end with a head D' in the form of a ring encircling Vthe studs C and slidable along the sa1ne,`asvwill be understoodfrom Figs. 1 and 2. `The inner edge of the lever B, adjacent to its pivot, is rounded or projected at B3 to form a bearing for the loop-spring E, which spring is secured at its ends E to the whiii'e- 6o tree, preferably by tting such ends in the grooves A5, while the other end of the loopspring operates in the guide way or slot b in the guard-lever and preferably formed by means of'a pin'b, secured tothe guard-lever 65 and forming the guide-slot b, in which the swinging end of thel loop-spring E operates. When the parts are arranged as'shown in full lines, Fig. 2, the trace F will be retained on the stud C by the outer arm of the guard-lever. 7o If, however, the said lever be operated by Vmeans of a string G or other suitable connection to the position indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 2,7and fulllines, Fig. 1, the trace F will be vpushed off the pin C by the head D of the detacher-bar. Thus in a moment the horse can -be freed, and in case he should run away Vdamage to the vehicle and injury to its occupants will be avoided. The spring E, arranged and operating as shown, tends to re- 8o tain the guard-lever in the position shown in full lines, Fig. 1, and to return it to such position when moved therefrom in the operation of the device. The action of this spring is strong and certain, operating as lit doesvby a sliding connection with the guard-'lever and fulcrumin'g between its ends' against the rounded surface or projection of the said 1ever, as best shown in-Fig. 2 of the drawings. Also by making the end of the whiffietree in 9o sections, slotted to receive the guard-lever, spring, and detaching-bar, the said parts are securely incased and the pivoting of the guardlever andthe securing of the actuating-spring is facilitated by the grooved construction of the walls ofthe said slot at A4 and A5, as before described.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The improvement in trace detachers herein described comprising the whiftletree IOC havingits ends composed of sections fitted face to face, and having in their meeting faces coinciding recesses forming a slot for theguard-lever, and having the walls of said slot provided with curved grooves forming seats for the pivot-studs of the guard-lever, and for the end studs of the actuating-spring, the tracedetacher bar, the guard-lever having pivotstuds held in the slots of the whiietree-sections and provided with acrank-arm connecting with the trace-detacher bar, and having at its inner edge a rounded projection and at the end thereof a longitudinal slot or guideway for the actuating-spring, and the actuating-spring provided at one end with out- Wardly-projecting studs held in the curved slots of the said sections and having its other end looped and held and operating in the slots of the guard-lever, said spring fulcruniing between its ends on the rounded projection of the guard-lever, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination with a whiletree, of the trace-detacher bar,the guard-lever having a crank-arm connecting with and operating said bar and also provided with a longitudinal slot forming the keeper for one end of the actuating-spring, and the actuating-spring operating at one end in said keeper and held at its other end to lthe whiiiietree and fulcruming between its ends against the guardlever, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with the whiletree having a slot and provided in the walls thereof with the curved grooves, of the trace-detacher bar, the guard-lever having its pivotstuds held in one pair of said grooves, the spring having at one end studs held in the other pair of said grooves, and slidably engaged at its 'other end with the guard-lever and fulcruming between its ends against the said lever, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with the wbiietree and the trace-detacher bar, of the pivoted guardlever, provided with means for operating the trace-detacher bar, and the spring held at one end tothe whiiletree and slidably engaged at its other end with the guard-lever and fulcruming between its ends against the said guard-lever, substantially as set forth.

5. In a trace-detacher,the combination with the Whiffietree, of the pivoted guard -lever havinga rounded projection on its inner edge, and a keeper-slot at one end of said projection, and the spring operating at one end in said Vkeeper-slot and fulcruming between its ends against the rounded projection and held at its other end to the whifiietree, substantially as set forth.

MILDRED B. BLAKEMAN. Vitnesses:

R. E. BEARD, J. R. KIRBY. 

